Jake Aguas | People, Biola University

Department	Crowell School of Business
Biola Affiliations	Faculty
Phone	(562) 903-4770 (Crowell School of Business)

Documents

Degrees

Ph.D., Organizational Leadership (Concentration in Human Resource Development), Regent University
M.A., Organizational Leadership, Biola University
B.A., Economics, University of California, Los Angeles

Biography

Dr. Jake Aguas is a nationally recognized leadership scholar, author, generational theorist, and organizational consultant. His expertise includes leadership development, generational research, human resource strategy, and organizational effectiveness. Throughout his career, he has held leadership positions at a Fortune 100 company and a leading polling firm. Notably, he spent 15 years at JPMorgan Chase as a leader in the retail bank and as Human Resource Manager for Talent Acquisition for the Western United States. Dr. Aguas is a professor of management at Biola University, as well as a clinical adjunct professor of human resource development at the doctoral level at Regent University’s School of Business and Leadership. He serves as a principal consultant for one of North America’s premier leadership development organizations. In this role, he oversees leadership and organizational development initiatives for organizations across the United States and Canada.

His research has been featured in notable media outlets, including the Washington Post and KNX Radio, as well as numerous scholarly and professional publications, such as the Global Journal of Management. Dr. Aguas has provided leadership development for leaders at organizations like In-N-Out Burger and Chick-fil-A. Additionally, he collaborates with renowned sports agent Leigh Steinberg through The Steinberg Sports Agent Academy to develop the next generation of sports agents, journalists, and broadcasters.

As a prolific author, Dr. Aguas has written numerous peer-reviewed journal articles on topics such as Generation Z, leadership, mental health, and cultural intelligence. He is also the author of four books: Rethinking Leadership Through a Generational Lens: How Generation Z is Redefining Leadership, Well-Being, and the Future of Work; Megatrends: The Transformative Forces Reshaping the United States; Generation Z and the COVID-19 Crisis; and, Principles of Macroeconomics: A Christian Framework. These publications have been adopted by universities and organizations for business, leadership, and organizational development.

As an engaging keynote speaker, Dr. Aguas frequently presents on generational differences in the workplace, leadership, productive conflict, and emotional, social, and cultural intelligence. His international experience includes co-leading a study tour to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, where he taught about culture, behavior, and economics in modern China. He also contributed to the acclaimed University of California, Berkeley course on Taylor Swift, which gained national attention from CBS News and NFL broadcasts.

Through his consulting practice, Dr. Aguas partners with organizations worldwide to enhance leadership, improve team performance, develop talent, and design strategic human resource systems that drive organizational excellence. He is bilingual in English and Spanish and holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Human Resource Development from Regent University, a master's degree in Organizational Leadership from Biola University, and a bachelor's degree in Economics from UCLA.

Publications

Books:

Aguas, J., & Ware, B. O. (2026). Principles of Macroeconomics: A Christian Framework. Kendall-Hunt Publishing.
Aguas, J. (2025). Rethinking Leadership from a Generational Lens: How Generation Z is Redefining Leadership, Well-Being, and the Future of Work. Kendall-Hunt Publishing.
Aguas, J. (2023). Megatrends: The Transformative Forces Reshaping the United States (2nd ed). Kendall-Hunt Publishing.
Aguas, J., & Prater, M. (2022). Generation Z and the COVID-19 Crisis. Kendall-Hunt Publishing.

Research and Professional Journal Publications

Aguas, M. J. (2024). A Phenomenological Study of Leadership Preferences and Aspirations, Mental and Physical Wellbeing, and Diversity of Adult Working Members of Generation Z [Doctoral Dissertation, Regent University].
Xavier, W. G., & Aguas, M. J., Gambridge, C. (2023, August). Pedagogical and Andragogical Approaches to Distance Learning: Evidence from Quality Matters Review Standards [Paper Presentation, Annual Proceedings]. The 83^rd Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Boston, MA.
Aguas, M. J. (2021). A Pathway Towards Cultural Intelligence. The Global Journal of Management, Spring, 34-52.
Aguas, M. J. (2021). Generation Z and the Mental Health Crisis. The Global Journal of Management, Spring, 53-76.
Aguas, M. J. (2021). The Distinctives of the Christian Scholar. Christian Business Academy Review, 16, 85-89.
Aguas, M. J. (2020). Millennial and Generation Z’s Perspectives on Leadership Effectiveness. The Journal of Emerging Leadership Journeys, 13(1), 1-22.
Mgrdichian, L., & Aguas, M. J. (2020). The American Working Woman: A Century in Review. The Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership, 10(1), 167-200.
Aguas, M. J. (2019). An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel on Decision-Making and Power. The Journal of Emerging Leadership Journeys, 12(1), 29-41.
Aguas, M. J. (2018, October). The Rise of Generation Z [Paper presentation]. The Christian Business Faculty Association Annual Conference, Chattanooga, TN.
Aguas, M. J. (2018). Emotional Intelligence in the Discourse of the Johannine Account. The Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership, 8(1), 51-70.
Aguas, M. J., & Cortez, R. (2008). Leadership Behaviors to Effectively Lead and Communicate with Multi-Generational Organizations [Master’s Thesis, Biola University].

Manuscripts in Preparation

Aguas, J., & Krost, E. (2026). Leading Across Generations: Preparing Organizations for Generation Alpha
Aguas, J., Ware, B. O. (2027). Principles of Microeconomics: A Christian Framework
Aguas, J., & Krost, E. (2027). Leading Across Generations: The Next Generation Athlete

Courses

Undergraduate-level courses:

Principles of Management
Human Resource Management
Organizational Behavior
Sports Management

Graduate-level Courses:

Management Theory and Organizational Culture
Leadership and Change